Motion-picture machine.



C. J. PETERSON.

I MOTION PIOTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IIAY 2. IQII. 1,258,705. I Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

IN l/E N T 0!? C/mJslznJRtek-son.

A TTOR/IEY C. l. PETERSON.

MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION' FILED MAY 2. m7.

1,258,705. PatentedMar. 12, 1918 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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WITNESS. n INVENTOR fetemo/u C. J. PETERSON.

MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

L VI A M D u N O H A m H DI A 5 0 7 I 8 5 2 I 1 3 swans-sun 3- Q $h Inventor Jf teraon/ awwa i a, driving -mittent fi m ,Sprocket and its actuating means and the'means for rotating theshut- 'ter, which driving connection will .atl'all' timesbe maintained, thereby synchronizing the movements of the intermittent sprocket and shutterwflw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRIS'IEN J. PETERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOTION-PICTURE MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 1\Ia,1. 12, 1918.

Application filed May 2, 1917. Serial No, 166,013.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTEN J. Pn'rnn- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-Picture Machines, of which the following is. a speclfication.

The present invention relates to the construction and arrangementof certain portions of the mechanism of a movin -p1cture machine to enable the intermittent ating sprocketto be bodily shifted in order to move the film with respect to the light aperture and frame the-picture, and at the same time maintain the rest of the mecha nism inproper, position and timed relation. One object or the invent on is to arrange arconnection between the Inter- Another'object of the invention is toperw mitthe sprocket to be bodily shifteddfer carrying out-the framing operation, without changingor affecting many way the position offthefshutter wlth. respect to the light aperture.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a shutter-carrying shaft and :1 Shutter-actuating shaft with a telescoping or slidable connection between these shafts, whereby one may be bodily moved without so movin the other.

A furt er object of the invention is. to form the shutter-actuating shaft in two parts, with a swivel or flexible connection between such parts.

A further object of the invention isto provide a carrier for the following parts: an intermittent film sprocket, its actuating means, a gear connection from amain driving gear-to'said actuating means, a shutteractuating shaft, and a gearv connection between the main driving gear and shutteractuating shaft, which carrier will be capable of movement as a unit about the center of rotation of the main driving gear.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange this carrier that when moved it will bodily move the intermittent film sprocket in a direction longitudinally of the film, thereby efl'ectingihe necessary move lm-actuation;

the, parts abeen completed;

ment of the film strip to carry out the framin operation.

he invention further consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and'claimed.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 2, a front view of said machine certain portions broken awa V v Fig. 3, a vertical section's owing the position of the L with Fig. 4, a view similar to "Fig. ane ing the position assumedby the partsgafte'r the framing operation hasybeen 'made;

parts prior to a framing" oper- F ga P pe t v 'o .1 h r y g;mem

ber, showing the gear connect-ions mounted on; 3 I 6, a diagrammati parts previous to a. frani Fig, 7, a -,view 'similarft Fig. 8,,a'diagraminatic connectlons; 1

. Fig; 9, lsectlonal' detail ofthe locking means for the carrier; i .Fi .10, a detail ofthegcam and star; whee for imparting movementto the: film feeding sprocket; and I Fig..11, a detail plan view. of the .gear

connection to the shutter actuating shaft.

In the art to which the present invention,

relates,-owing to inaccuracies of'one kind or another, the picture will get out of alinement with the llght apertures,'whereby.-part of one'picture and part of another will be shown on the screen at the same time. T .This is undesirable and must be corrected. Such correction is, so far asl amaware, gen-' erally made by rotating-the intermittent sprocket at other thanla'normal movement, so as to move the film stripiwith'other than its normal movement; or to bodily shift the, intermittent sprocket, which 'vwill'produce a similar abnormal movement of the film strip.

In either case the film strip is bodily moved otherwise than by the usual feedin movement to realine the picture with tie light aperture. In so moving the intermittent sprocket, a synchronous driving connection between the said sprocket and shutter must be maintained. In the present invention, by a simple means, this driving connection is properly maintained and the intermittent e shwingx op ration; 2;; I. y ig. 6,I-'show'ing- 1 fterthe, fra'm' ngfoperation has revolved by means of a hand crank 17, or

otherwise. On ,the end of the shaft 16 is 'a gear 18, meshing with a gear 19 on a stub shaft 20; and meshing with the gear 19, but out of mesh with the gear 18,.is a gear 21 on a shaft 22. This shaft 22 carries a film feed sprocket 23, actuated with .a continuous movement and serving to draw the film off I from the supply reel (not shown).

" a shaft 25, which shaft carries a gear 26 medially thereof, and this shaft, on its end, carries a film take-up sprocket 27, which feedsfthe filmtoward the take-up reel (not shown). Meshing with the gear'26..1s'a p1n --ion 28 on a shaft 29, and ,on' the'endjofthis 'shaft, is a cam member 30equippe'd with a Y 'ft ent film] 'is operate z pin 31. This cam member j lies withinga iicasin 32 forming part ofaicarryinfg ibe'rTB w 'chjlatter will be-more'ful ftent movementsof the star-wheel: Thestare wheel 34 is located within-the casing 32,

while the sprocket 36 is outside of.this cas-,

ing, as will be apparent from the drawings. Suitable r'esser rolls 37 are provided or the sproc ets 23, 27 and 36 to maintain the, -film strip against the peripheries of said sprockets: w y

Meshing with the gear 26 is a pinion 38 on a stub shaft 39. This stub shaft is mounted in the upper end 40 of the carrier 33 and, as will be seen from the drewin the pinion 38 is arranged at approximate y right angles to the pinion 28 as re ects radiallines from'the centers of sai 'pinions to the center of the gear 26. a

Mounted on the stub shaft 39 :is a bevel gear 41 meshing with a bevel gear 42, which 1s secured-to a shaft section 42, forming part of the shutter-actuating shaft. The other portion of the shaft consists of the section 43; and said sectionsare coupled together by means of a swivel coupling 44. This method of connecting causes the two shaft sections to rotate together, but enables the section 42 to assume a position out of parallelism with respect to the section 43 when the carrier 33 is moved in? performing the The gear 19- meshes with a pinion 24 of swing about the center of the shaft 25, which carries the main actuating gear 26. The carwith ,a' free tur in fit, on'theperipheryo the sleeve 50, but since {this sleeveis concentric withthe shaft 25, the 1 movement; of 1 the carrier is about the centerofthe said shaft;

site direction,

; The action of gear 42 to remain in mesh withQthebevel gear 41 as the parts are turned in'the frammg operation, and at the same time no great degree of angularity is imparted to the shaft section 42.

The shutter 46 is mounted on a shuttercarrying shaft 47, which is held by a fixed mounting 48. The shaft 47 as shown is hollow, and within said s'haft'extends the shaft section 43. There is a spline connection between this shaft section and the shaft 47, whereby-"these two parts are rotatably driven in unison, but one: may slide or-.telescope with respect tothe other.

As stated, the carrier 33 is mounted to fixed artof v thejframe'iif the machine.

The aft 25 extends through this sleeve The carrier turns Theearrieris formed with a'bore 51 (see F g. 9),"inf which is positioned a block 52,

" having a cam or wedgeface 53, which'bears against the-periphery ofthe'sleeve 49. Ex-

"fijtendinglthroughithls'block is the reduced end 54 of acombine'd actuating and locking frbd55 and thelower portion 56..of sa d "reduced 7 end of such rod '-is entered into a tapped recess 57111" the carrier. By turning the rod 55, the shoulder 58 thereon will be brought into engagement with the block and the block thereby forced downward, which will bring the cam surface 53 into hard engagement withthe sleeve 50, and the carrymg member is thus locked against turning movement. By turning the rod in the opporessure from the block will be relieved an the carrier be free to turn. In: the turning movement, the rod 55 will be used as a lever. Thus,such rod constitutes a combined means for controlling the a locking. of the 1 carrier against a turning movement, and for obtaining a leverage to turn the carrier. Y

the parts during a framing movement will be best understood from Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7. In Figs. 6 and 7, marks 59 have been laced on the film strip 15 to indicate the ivision line between pictures. Referring to Fig. 6., as there shown the film strip has tten into a position, by reason of inaccuracies, wherein half of one picture and half of another are being projected upon the screen at the same time, and under such conditions it is desired to shift the film strip to realine the pictures with the light aperture.

In performing this framing operation, the rod 55 is rotated to loosen the block 52 from the sleeve 50, and pressure is then placed upon the rod to swing the carrier member. As shown in the drawings, the carrier memher is swung in av direction to carry the intermittent sprocket 36 downward, although the same result could be obtained .by so swinging the carrier as to move the intermittent sprocket upward. When swung, as shown, the intermittent sprocket, star and cam wheel will be bodily andsimultaneously moved from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 4, and, as will be understood from Figs. 6 and 7 {such movement carries the film sprocket downward in a di rection longitudinally of the film strip. When so moved, the'sprocket will pull the film strip downward and aline the pictures with the light aperture, as will be understood from Fig. 7., The direction of movement of the intermittent sprocket being longitudinally of the film, will be in the direction best suited to cause a movement of the film simultaneously with the movement of the intermittent sprocket.

It is to be remembered that the intermittent film sprocket, star-wheel, and cam disk all move bodily and in unison, and the relative position between the centers of movement of these parts is never changed; and, further, by reason of the carrier swinging aboutthe center of the shaft 25, the pinion 28 will travel about the periphery of the gear 26 and will always remain in mesh therewith, whereby a constant driving connection to the cam disk will always be maintained.

When the carrier 33 is swung as above described, the upper end 40 thereof will be moved toward the film strip, as will be understood from a comparison of Figs. 6 and 7. This carries the gears 38, 41, and 42 in a similar direct-ion. Such movement being around the center of the main actuating gear 26, the pinion 38 will travel around the peripheryof the gear 26' and remain in mesh therewith at alltimesl This causes a driving connection to the shutter-actuating shaft 42 tobe maintained at all times, and also maintains a continuous driving connection between the cam and shutter, so that the timed relation between the intermittent sprocket andshutter is never'disturbed.

ments save a rotative one about its axis. When the carrier 33 is turned to perform the framing operation, there may be some abnormal movement of the gears 38 and 28 as they travel about the periphery of the gear 26. Such movement either accelerates or retardsthe normal movement of the gears 38 and 28. This abnormal movement will be transmitted to the cam and to the shutter,

but since it will be imparted to both in a like degree and simultaneously, no improper timin of the cam orshutter will take place. The s utter carrying shaft having no movement, save a rotative one about its axis, the shutter will remain at all times the same distance away from the light aperture.

The movement of the carrier, being about the center of the shaft 25, is an arcuate one, and hence the gears 38, 41 and 42 will travel I in an arcuate path. The movement of the shutter-actuating shaft with respect to the shutter-carrying shaft must be, with the construction shown, a straight line movement, and therefore I intei'pose the flexible joint 44 between the shaft sections 42 and 43 and a pivotal connection between the bracket 45 and the carrying member, allowing the gear 42 to follow in the arcuate path of movement of the gears 38 and 41. The pivotal connection above referred to allows the gears 41 and 42 to remain constantly in mesh and at the same time places the shaft section 42 but slightly at an angle to the shaft section 43, thus maintaining an efiicient driving connection to the shutter. It also allows the shaft section 43 to have a straight line movement and therefore to readily and easily move in and out with respect to'the shuttercarrying shaft 47.

From the foregoingitis apparent that by a simple and durable means, I am enabled to bodily move the intermittent film sprocket to effect a movement of the film strip and frame the picture. At the same time, the relative positions of the axial centers of the intermittentsprocket, cam and star wheel are notchanged, so that no disruption of the movements of these parts takesplace. The

shutter remains at all times a fixed distance from the light aperture, and the driving connection between the intermittent sprocket and shutter is maintained at all times, so that the proper timing is maintained between these parts,

I claim:

1. In a motion -picture machine,the combination of film advancing means, means for When the above described movement takes a t ti aid advancing means, shutter, a

place,

actuating shaft will be pulled toward the film shutter, but owing to the spline connection between the section 42 and the shuttercarrying' shaft 47 such movement will not be communicated to the shaft. 47, and it will remain stationary, as respects all other movethe sections 42 and 43 of the shuttershutter-operating shaft, a shutter-carrying shaftheld against movement other than a rotative one about its own axis, a main actuating gear, a gear connection from said main actuating gear to said film advancing actuating means, a gear connection from said maln actuating gear to said shutterpperating'shaft, a carrying member for said advancing means, film advancin actuating means, shutter-operating sha and said gear connections, said carrying member being arranged to move about the center of the main actuating gear, and aslidable driving connection between the shutter-operating and carrying shafts, substantially as described. I

2. In a motion icture machine,the combination of film a vancing means, means for actuating said advancing. means, a shuttercarrying shaft held against movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a shutteractuating shaft, a slidable driving connection between said shafts, means for bodily and simultaneously shifting vancing means, its actuatlng means, the shutter-actuating shaft and its operating means, to frame the picture, and means for maintaining a constant driving connection between the film advancin actuating means and shutter-operating sh substantially as described. v

3. In a motion picture machine, the combination of filmadvancing means, means for actuating the same, a shutter, a shutter carrying shaft held against movement other than a rotative one aboutits axis, shiftable driving means for said shutter carrying shaft, means for simultaneously shifting the film advancing means, actuating means therefor, and shutter shaft driving means bodily to effect a framing operation, a connection between the shutter shaft driving means and shutter shaft permitting the driving means to shift bodily without so shiftin said shaft, whereby the shutter is maintain at all times the same distance from the li ht aperture, and whereby a driving connectlon between the film advancing actuating means and shutter shaft driving means is provided which remains in operative engagement at all times, substantially as described.

4. In amotion icture machine, the combination of film a vancing means, means for actuatingsaid advancing means, a shutter, a. shutter-operating shaft, a shutter-carrying shaft held against movement other than a "rotativeone about its a'xis,a slidable driving'connection between said shafts, a main driving member, a connectionbetween the main driving member and film advancing actuating main driving member and shutter-operating shaft, means for simultaneously and bodily moving said film advancing means, actuating means therefor, shutter-operating shaft and connections from the main driving member aboutsaid main driving member as a center to frame the picture, whereby a continuous driving connection between the filmadvancin actuatingflmeans andshutter op- (ciratin aft is maintained, substantially as said film admeans, a connection between the 5. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancing means, means for actuating said advancing means, a shuttercarrying shaft held against movement other tuatingshaft, and means for locking said" shiftable parts against such shiftable movement, substantially as described.

6. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancing means, means for actuatin said film advancing means, a shutter, a s utter-operatin shaft, a shuttercarrying shaft held aga nst movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a slidable drivin connection between said shafts, a main riving member, a connection between the main drlving member and film advancing actuating means, a connection between the main driving member and shutter-operating shaft, means for simultaneously and bodily moving said film advancin means, its actuating means, shutter-operating shaft and connectlons from the main driving gear about ter to frame the picture, whereby a continuous driving connection between the film advancing actuating means and shutter shaft is maintained, and means for lockin said movable parts against movement, su stantially as described.

In a motion picture machine, a framing device comprising film advancing means, actuating means therefor, a shutter, a shutteractuatingshaft, shutter-carrying means held against movement other than a rotative one about itsaxis, a planetary gear drive for the film advancin means and shutter-actuating shaft, means or simultaneously and bodily moving the film advancing means, actuatin means therefor, shutter-actuating shaft an outer gears of the planetary gear about the axisof the central gear thereof, and a slidable drivin connection between the shutteractuating shaft and shutter carrying means, substantlally as described, I a

8. In a motion picture machine, a framing device comprising film advancing means, actuating means therefor, a shutter, a shuttier-actuating shaft, shutter-carrying means held against movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a planetary gear drive for the film advancing actu-, ating means and shutter-actuatin shaft, means for simultaneously and bodi y moving the film advancing means, actuatin means therefor, shutter-actuating shaft and outer gears of the planetary gear about the said main driving member as a cenaxis of the central gear thereof, a slidable driving connection between the shutter-actuating shaft and shutter-carryin means, and means for locking such mova le parts against movement, substantially as described.

9. In a motion picture machine, the combination of a head comprising a fixed portion and amovable portion, said movable portion consisting of an angled member, film advancing means, and means for actuating the same carried by one arm of the sprocket, a shutter, a shutter-operatin shaft carried by the other arm, said angle member when moved to frame the picture carryin simultaneously and bodily the film advancmg means and actuating means therefor in one direction and the shutter-operating shaft in a direction at an angle thereto, a shutter mounting held against movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a slidable driving connection between the shutter-actuating shaft and shutter'mount- 1n and means for maintaining a constant driving connection between the film advancing actuating means and shutter-operating shaft, substantially as described.

10. A framing device for a motion picture machine, comprisinga carrying means adapted to move as a unit, film advancing means and actuating means therefor on said I carrying means, a shutter, a shutter-operating shaft formed of two sections connected by a flexible joint, a connection between one of said sections and the carrying means, a shutter mounting held against movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a shiftable connection between the other section and the shutter mounting, and means for maintaining a constant driving connection between the shutter-operating shaft and film advancin actuating means, substantially as descri ed.

11. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancing means,-means for actuating the same, a shutter-operating shaft, formed in two sections connected by a flexible joint, ashutter-carrying member held against movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a spline connection between one of said sections and said shuttercarryin member, means for simultaneously and b0 ily moving said shaft sections, film advancing means and actuating means therefor to frame the picture, and means for maintaining a constant driving connection between said film advancing actuating means and said shutter-operating shaft, substantially as described.

12. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advanc' glmeans, means for actuating the same, a utter, a shutteroperating shaft, a shutter mounting held a ainst movement other than a rotative one a out its axis, a telescopic drive connection between the shutteroperating shaft and shutter mounting, means for bodily and simultaneously shifting the said film advancmg means, said actuating means therefor and shutter-operatin shaft to frame the picture, and means or maintaining a constant drive connection between the film advancing actuating means and shutter-operating shaft, substantially as described.

13. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancing means, means for actuating the same, a shutter, a shutteroperating shaft, a shutter mounting held against movement other than a rotative one a ainst movement other than a rotative one 7 a out its axis, means permitting a slidable and pivotal movement of said shutter-operating shaft with respect to said shutter mounting, means for maintaining a driving connection between said shaft and mounting, means for simultaneously and bodily shifting said film advancing means, actuating means therefor and shutter-operating shaft to frame the picture, and means for maintaining a constant driving connection between said film advancing actuating means and shutter-operating shaft, substantially as described.

15. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancin means, means for actuating the same, a s utter, a shutteroperating shaft, a shutter mountin held against movement other than a rotative one about its axial center, a slidable and pivotal driving connection between the shutter-operating shaft and shutter mounting, means for simultaneously imparting a bodily arcuate movement about a common center to the film advancing means, the actuatin means therefor and shutter-operating sha to frame the picture, and means for maintaining' a constant driving connection between the film advancing actuating means and shutter-operating shaft, substantially as described.

16. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancing means, means for actuating the same, a shutter, a shutter-operating shaft, a shutter mounting held against movement other than a pivotal one about its axis,a slidable and nivotaldriving connection between the shutter-operating shaft and shutter mounting, a common driving member for the film advancin actuating means and shutter-operating sha t, a mounting for the film advancing means, its actuating means and shutter-operating shaft permitting them to swing bodily and simultaneously about the center of rotation of the common driving member to framethe picture, and means for maintaining during such movement a constant driving connec- 1 tion between the film advancing actuating means and shutter-operating shaft, substantially as described. a

17. In a motion picture machine, the combination of film advancing means, actuating means therefor, a shutter, a shutteroperatingshaft held against movement other than a rotative one about its axis, a main actuating gear, a gear connection from said main actuating gear to said film advancing actuating means, a gear connection from said main actuating gear. to said shutter-operating shaft embodying a gear on said operating shaft, a carrying member for said film advancing means, the actuating means therefor, shutter-operating shaft and said gear connections, a pivotal connection between the shutter-oiperating shaft and carrying member, sai carrying member being arranged to move about the center of the main actuatin gear, and a slidable driving connection etween the shutter-operating and a carrying shafts, substantially as described.

CHRISTEN J. PETERSON. 

